Life@50+ Is a Sure Winner

I’ve never been a gambler, but I just returned from Las Vegas where a $25 bet netted people a big-time jackpot.

No, I didn’t temporarily lose my miserly mind in the heat of the Nevada desert and roll the dice in some swanky Vegas casino. I’m way too cheap to tell people to throw away good money like that. I’m talking about a mere $25 for the cost of admission to the three-day AARP Life @50+ National Event held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. That’s right: $25 ($35 for nonmembers) for all three days combined, total.

By my calculations, that $25 wager returned more than 10 times that value in entertainment (including some big names, from Bob Newhart and Don Rickles to Candace Bushnell and Terry McMillan), education and information, plus free swag. It proved once again that the now biannual Life @50+ events are the bargain of a lifetime and a can’t-lose bet for anyone who attends. And if you really want to win big, you can also volunteer a few hours to help staff the event, which gets you FREE admission, a special t-shirt, and even a meal voucher. Talk about having Lady Luck on your side!

What’s so special about Life @50+? Well, let’s start with some of the celebrities who you have a chance to hear speak and maybe even meet in person. In Vegas, in addition to the ones I mentioned already, there was Jane Pauley, Emilio Estefan, Martin Yan and Billy Bob Thornton, to name but a few. Where else can a cheapskate like me rub shoulders with famous folks like that?

At the Life@50+ National Event in Atlanta in October you’ll be able to hear from Whoopi Goldberg, Tyler Perry and Emilio Estefan – and those are just a few of the speakers.

All-star experts were on hand at the Vegas event to help you get every aspect of your life in order. Folks like AARP Love and Relationship Ambassador Dr. Pepper Schwarz were there to help whip your love life into shape, and Travel Ambassador Samantha Brown had tips on how to travel the world in style. Jean Chatzky, AARP Financial Ambassador and one of my favorite personal finance gurus, talked about smart planning for retirement, took audience questions and stayed around to meet people and sign her book. (In my book, Jean is an “11”-that’s a “10” who’s also a fellow cheapskate!)

Add to that star-power tons of other free sessions on everything from cooking demonstrations, to special Movies for Grownups screenings, to understanding Social Security and Medicare – even fitness workout sessions! You can see why Life @50+ is such a winning ticket. (Blogger Becca Niederkrom isn’t even a cheapskate, and she came up with a Top 10 List of reasons to attend.)

Mark your calendars for October 3-5 this year, when Life @50+ will come to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Hope to see you there!